COLUMBUS — America 250-Ohio launched the Ohio Innovation Trail, an experiential driving trail celebrating the problem-solvers whose ideas reshaped how we move, manufacture, protect, power, feed, and heal.
The launch was held at the Carillon Historical Park in Dayton.
It is the fourth of six planned experiential trails for America 250-Ohio’s signature Trails & Tales program. America 250-Ohio created the Trails & Tales program in partnership with the Ohio Travel Association.
America 250-Ohio is the official state commission responsible for spearheading Ohio’s celebrations and commemorations relating to America’s semiquincentennial in 2026.
The Ohio Innovation Trail features approximately 80 sites across Ohio. Highlights in central Ohio include:
- The Rumpke Resource & Recycling Center in Columbus
- The Early Television Museum in Hilliard
- Dawes Arboretum in Newark
- Ye Olde Mill – Home of Velvet Ice Cream in Utica
“The ingenuity of everyday Ohioans has, quite literally, shaped the history of the United States,” said Lance Woodworth, president and CEO of Destination Toledo and co-chair of the Trails & Tales program.
“This new, experiential trail showcases the wonderous potential of the human imagination when faced with a challenge. We encourage all Ohioans to visit these sites and be inspired to make their own contribution, whether large or small, to the innovations that will shape the next 250 years.”
America 250-Ohio’s planned Trails & Tales program aims to establish two additional thematic experiential trails over the next year. Additional details on these trails will be announced in the coming months.
The first trail, the Ohio Air & Space Trail, launched in May 2024. The second trail, the Ohio Creativity Trail, launched in February 2025. The third trail, the Lake Erie to Ohio River Trail, launched in August 2025.
Knox Community Hospital proudly supports the vibrant pulse of our community by sponsoring the Life & Culture section on Knox Pages, celebrating the stories and experiences that make our region unique.